And so, it's this time of year when I share with you my Three Wise Men. I must confess that I wasn't able to choose those for 2014 not because there were no wise people around, but because I was unable to make my output. I am reviving this now and hopefully, it will continue in the next years to come.
My three wise men have all come from the Philippines, by the way.
Joker Arroyo (5 January 1927 - 5 October 2015) was a freedom fighter during the Marcos dictatorship. A lawyer by profession, Joker was the first among his peers to question the legality of Martial Law before the Supreme Court. Apart from that, he participated in the trials of political detainees like Benigno Aquino Jr, Eugenio Lopez Sr, and Sergio Osmena III. During the 1986 snap elections, he served as counsel to Cory Aquino and would later become the first Executive Secretary in her administration. He was elected congressman in 1992 and became Lead Prosecutor during Joseph Estrada's impeachment trial in 2000. He became senator in 2001 and retired in 2013. He passed away in October after an unsuccessful heart operation in the States.
Mr Arroyo offers us the wisdom of service to the people regardless of the consequences. It was said that he suffered in the hands of the military. How many of us would take the risk in order to stand up for the poor and defenseless? Now when the Marcoses and their minions (e.g. Estradas, Binays, etc.) would once again run for public office, are we going to keep our guard down?
Dr Florentino Hornedo (16 October 1938 - 9 December 2015) was a scholar, professor, and cultural studies pioneer in Ivatan culture. A CCP Gawad Para sa Sining for Cultural Research, he was lauded for choosing "to take a prodigious path to inquire and theorize about the breadth, depth, and complexities of the Filipino mind and identity." Furthermore, he expounded on the term "Filipinicity" and was of the view that Philippine folk and popular literature was the result of forces such as significant events in our history as a nation. When I was still in UST, I had the privilege of listening to his talk. I think it was about history. In one of the discussions he mentioned the root cause of the fight between Spain and Portugal in their conquests: spices. "Ano bang mayroon sa sili at pinag-awayan ito ng Spain at Portugal?" he asked which drew laughter from the audience.
Dr Hornedo offers us the wisdom of one's roots. His scholarly works were focused on our country and, more particularly on the Ivatan culture since he was an Ivatan. How many of us still pay back the country of our birth or at least the community we used to or currently belong to?
Fr Pedro Traquena, OP (2 December 1919 - 9 December 2015) was the oldest Dominican in the Philippines. He was involved in the National Association of the Holy Name Society as its national promoter in the Babuyan Islands. He later served as chaplain of the UST Hospital. I have frequently seen Fr Traquena in the UST Hospital when I was studying and teaching there. He comes across as a humble servant to those who are sick. Word has it that he was still serving until his demise.
Fr Traquena offer us the wisdom of living life to the full. In his old age, he could have opted for a retirement in the confines of the convent. And yet, he decided to minister to those in need. When life becomes a struggle for us, are we going to throw in the towel or is it still full steam ahead?
May God, the source of all wisdom, be The Reward for these three great and wise men. May their wisdom and legacy continue to thrive in our midst!
